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Albertsons Companies (ACI)
NYSE:ACI

Albertsons Companies (ACI) AI Stock Analysis

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ACI

Albertsons Companies

(NYSE:ACI)

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Neutral 56 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:56Neutral
Price Target:
$19.00
▲(1.82% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/02/26
The score is driven primarily by constrained financial flexibility from high leverage and thin/softening profitability, partially offset by strong recent cash flow generation. Technical indicators point to a weak trend below key moving averages, while valuation is supportive (low P/E and solid dividend). The latest earnings call was constructive on execution and guidance but flagged meaningful near-term headwinds, and recent refinancing modestly improves maturity risk.
Positive Factors
Strong Cash Generation
Trailing-twelve-month operating and free cash flow materially improved versus the prior annual period, providing durable internal funding for capex, dividends, and buybacks. Strong cash flow supports ongoing investment in digital, store remodels and de-leveraging even with elevated leverage.
Accelerating Digital and Pharmacy Growth
Sustained double-digit digital growth and expanding pharmacy volumes diversify revenue mix and raise long-term customer engagement. Digital penetration and pharmacy scale increase customer frequency and margin optionality (services, immunizations, GLP-1s) supporting structural revenue growth and resilience.
Loyalty, Productivity & Tech Initiatives
Large loyalty base, a multi-year $1.5B productivity plan, and scalable AI/tech investments create structural advantages: better customer data, improved unit economics, and sustainable cost reductions. These initiatives should drive higher lifetime value and margin recovery over time.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
Debt remaining large relative to equity limits financial flexibility and raises refinancing and interest-rate sensitivity. Even with maturity extension actions, elevated leverage increases risk of cash flow strain under weaker sales or margin compression and constrains strategic optionality.
Softening Profitability
Net margin compression versus prior years reduces earnings cushion and free cash flow conversion. Lower profitability limits ability to absorb cost inflation or invest incrementally, and amplifies leverage risk since returns are generated on a smaller margin base.
Regulatory Pharmacy Headwinds (Medicare)
Medicare drug-price negotiation is a structural regulatory shift that reduces reported pharmacy sales and creates multi-year comp volatility. Even if near-neutral to profit per management, it complicates forecasting, could depress top-line growth and pressure unit economics in a high-volume business line.

Albertsons Companies (ACI) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Albertsons Companies Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAlbertsons Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of food and drug stores in the United States. The company's food and drug retail stores offer grocery products, general merchandise, health and beauty care products, pharmacy, fuel, and other items and services. It also manufactures and processes food products for sale in stores. As of February 26, 2022, it operated 2,276 stores under various banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw's, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Haggen, Kings Food Markets, and Balducci's Food Lovers Market; and 1,722 pharmacies, 1,317 in-store branded coffee shops, 402 adjacent fuel centers, 22 distribution centers, and 20 manufacturing facilities, as well as various digital platforms. The company was founded in 1860 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho.
How the Company Makes MoneyAlbertsons Companies generates revenue primarily through the sale of groceries and related products in its supermarkets. The company's revenue model is based on both in-store sales and online grocery delivery services, which have seen significant growth in recent years. Key revenue streams include the sale of perishable goods, non-perishable items, and pharmacy products. Additionally, Albertsons benefits from its private label brands, which offer higher margins compared to national brands. The company also earns income through fuel sales at its gas stations and from various promotional partnerships with vendors and suppliers. Moreover, Albertsons has been investing in technology to enhance its e-commerce platform, which is expected to further boost sales and improve customer engagement.

Albertsons Companies Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 07, 2026
(Q3-2025)
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% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 27, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call highlighted strong execution across digital, pharmacy, loyalty, and productivity initiatives with solid Q3 results (2.4% identical sales growth, 21% digital growth, $1.039B adjusted EBITDA) and clear strategic investments in AI and retail media. Management also outlined disciplined capital allocation and balance-sheet actions. Offsetting these positives are macro-related headwinds (government/SNAP timing), the Medicare drug-price negotiation that creates meaningful top-line headwinds to comparables (noted 65–70 bps in Q4 and modeling risk into 2026), continued industry unit-volume pressure, and near-term gross margin mix impacts. Overall, the positives (accelerating digital and pharmacy growth, loyalty expansion, productivity gains and a clear transformation roadmap) materially outweigh the challenges, though the company flagged notable near-term risks that require monitoring.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Same-Store (Identical) Sales Growth
Identical sales (ID sales) grew 2.4% in Q3; company narrowed FY25 identical sales outlook to a 2.2%–2.5% range.
Digital Revenue and Penetration
Digital sales rose 21% year-over-year in Q3; digital penetration reached 9.5% of sales. More than 50% of orders were delivered in three hours or less and >95% of delivery households are eligible for flash delivery as fast as 30 minutes.
Adjusted EBITDA and EPS
Q3 adjusted EBITDA was $1.039 billion and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.72. FY25 adjusted EBITDA guidance was updated to $3.825B–$3.875B and adjusted EPS guidance narrowed to $2.08–$2.16.
Pharmacy & Health Outperformance
Pharmacy and Health sales increased 18% in Q3, driven by immunizations, GLP-1 therapies, and core prescriptions; management expects pharmacy profitability to be near-neutral to the effects of Medicare negotiation on profit.
Loyalty Growth and Engagement
Loyalty membership grew ~12% to ~49.8 million members, with members transacting more frequently and demonstrating higher lifetime value; 40% of engaged households choose cash-off option.
Productivity and Cost Control Progress
SG&A rate (ex-fuel) improved to 24.9%, down 33 basis points year-over-year (ex-fuel); company reaffirmed $1.5 billion productivity target over the next three fiscal years and reported early benefits from labor optimization and process redesign.
Tech and AI Initiatives Showing Early Traction
New AI capabilities (Ask AI search) are delivering a reported ~10% increase in basket size among users; company is scaling AI across merchandising, labor forecasting, supply chain and digital experience with partners such as Google, OpenAI and Databricks.
Capital Allocation and Balance Sheet Actions
Q3 capital expenditures were $462 million; company returned $77 million via dividends and continued a $750 million accelerated share repurchase (ASR). Net debt to adjusted EBITDA was 2.29x at quarter end. Refinanced $1.5 billion of debt ($700M at 5.5% due 2031, $800M at 5.75% due 2034).
Retail Media Momentum
Retail media (On-site Media) delivered double-digit year-over-year growth in Q3 and the off-site ad capabilities were enhanced (added transaction capability), increasing partner ROI and campaign activation speed.
Own Brands Expansion Opportunity
Own brands penetration currently ~25% with a stated path to grow penetration to ~30%, and early launches of lower-priced campaigns showing improved unit trends and unit share in targeted divisions.
Negative Updates
Macro Headwinds: Government Shutdown & SNAP Delays
Temporary headwinds from a government shutdown and SNAP payment delays negatively impacted identical sales by approximately 10–20 basis points in Q3.
Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Impact to Sales
The Inflation Reduction Act Medicare drug price negotiation created an estimated Q4 headwind of ~65–70 basis points to identical sales (equating to ~16–18 basis points for FY25) with little to no impact to adjusted EBITDA; management warned this could materially affect comparables in 2026 (potentially up to ~125 basis points in some scenarios).
Gross Margin Pressure (Mix and Investments)
Gross margin (ex-fuel, ex-LIFO) declined ~55 basis points year-over-year in Q3, primarily reflecting mix shift to digital and pharmacy and targeted price investments, although margin improved sequentially vs. Q2.
Industry Unit Volume Weakness and Uncertainty
Company and industry continue to face unit-volume pressure; management indicated they do not expect to be at flat units by year-end and flagged uncertain Q4 unit trends driven by consumer caution and income cohort pressures.
Interest Expense Increase
Interest expense increased by $7 million in Q3 to $116 million, primarily related to borrowings associated with the $750 million ASR program.
Store Closures and Fleet Actions
In Q3 the company opened 2 new stores, completed 23 remodels, and closed 16 underperforming locations as part of portfolio optimization.
Pharmacy Revenue Reduction vs. Reported Sales
Medicare drug price negotiation reduces reported pharmacy sales (top-line pressure) even though management expects near-neutral profit impact; introduces modeling complexity and comp volatility.
Consumer Income Cohort Stress
Lower-income households are stretched and taking fewer items per trip; middle-income households show some softening and trade-down behavior; high-income customers are more price conscious — all contributing to cautious discretionary spending.
Q4 Margin and Pharmacy Seasonality
Management cautioned that Q3 pharmacy margin strength (driven by earlier flu and immunization demand) may reverse in Q4 and that Q4 pharmacy margin is typically weaker than Q3, implying pressure on Q4 gross margin relative to Q3.
Company Guidance
Albertsons narrowed fiscal 2025 guidance to identical sales of 2.2–2.5% (with an estimated 65–70 bps Q4 headwind from the Inflation Reduction Act, ~16–18 bps full‑year, with no EBITDA impact), adjusted EBITDA of $3.825–3.875 billion (including ~ $65 million in Q4 for the 53rd week), adjusted EPS of $2.08–2.16, an effective tax rate of 23–24%, and capital expenditures of $1.8–1.9 billion; management reiterated capital priorities (invest in the business, maintain/grow the dividend, opportunistic buybacks) including a $750 million accelerated share repurchase completing in early 2026 and $1.3 billion remaining on a $2.75 billion authorization, while reporting a net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio of 2.29x. For context, Q3 results cited on the call included identical sales +2.4%, digital sales +21% (9.5% penetration), adjusted EBITDA $1.039 billion, adjusted EPS $0.72, pharmacy sales +18%, Q3 capex $462 million, gross margin 27.4% (‑55 bps YoY ex‑fuel/LIFO), SG&A rate 24.9% (‑33 bps YoY ex‑fuel/LIFO), loyalty ~49.8 million members, and a $1.5 billion productivity target over the next three fiscal years.

Albertsons Companies Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cash generation is a strength (improved TTM operating and free cash flow), but profitability has softened (TTM net margin ~1.1% vs ~1.9–2.3% prior) and the balance sheet is highly levered (debt-to-equity ~6.2x), limiting flexibility.
Income Statement
58
Neutral
Revenue trends are positive overall, with TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue up meaningfully versus the latest annual period, but profitability has softened over time. Gross margin has been relatively steady (~27–29%), while operating and net margins have compressed versus prior years (TTM net margin ~1.1% vs ~1.9–2.3% in earlier periods). Net income in TTM is lower than the last several annual periods, highlighting a weaker earnings run-rate despite decent top-line momentum.
Balance Sheet
35
Negative
Leverage is the key constraint. Debt remains large relative to equity, with debt-to-equity elevated in every period and rising again in TTM (about 6.2x). Equity is modest versus the asset base, which reduces balance-sheet flexibility. Return on equity is high (roughly 28–94% across periods), but it is amplified by the low equity level and high leverage, which increases risk if operating performance weakens.
Cash Flow
66
Positive
Cash generation is a relative strength. TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) operating cash flow and free cash flow are materially higher than the most recent annual period, and free cash flow growth in TTM is very strong versus that prior year. That said, cash flow conversion versus earnings is not consistently strong (free cash flow is below net income in the latest periods), and operating cash flow coverage trends are only moderate, suggesting working-capital swings or other cash uses can meaningfully impact year-to-year cash results.
BreakdownTTMFeb 2025Feb 2024Feb 2023Feb 2022Feb 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue81.72B80.39B79.24B77.65B71.89B69.69B
Gross Profit22.24B22.26B22.05B21.76B20.72B20.41B
EBITDA4.15B4.08B4.53B4.85B4.87B3.78B
Net Income870.00M958.60M1.30B1.51B1.62B850.20M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets27.09B29.31B28.79B28.75B30.77B29.39B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments214.50M339.20M212.00M477.20M2.97B1.78B
Total Debt15.43B14.18B14.24B15.01B15.30B16.07B
Total Liabilities24.59B25.92B26.05B27.14B27.75B28.06B
Stockholders Equity2.50B3.39B2.75B1.61B3.02B1.32B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow2.08B749.40M628.20M700.00M1.91B2.27B
Operating Cash Flow3.98B2.68B2.66B2.85B3.51B3.90B
Investing Cash Flow-2.60B-1.89B-1.75B-1.98B-1.54B-1.57B
Financing Cash Flow-1.41B-684.10M-1.18B-3.37B-789.50M-1.04B

Albertsons Companies Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price18.66
Price Trends
50DMA
17.33
Positive
100DMA
17.54
Positive
200DMA
18.75
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.33
Negative
RSI
63.92
Neutral
STOCH
67.80
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ACI, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 18.66 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 17.70, above the 50-day MA of 17.33, and below the 200-day MA of 18.75, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.33 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 63.92 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 67.80 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ACI.

Albertsons Companies Risk Analysis

Albertsons Companies disclosed 38 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Albertsons Companies reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Albertsons Companies Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
67
Neutral
$1.80B19.377.22%2.06%3.11%6.54%
65
Neutral
$6.99B13.9638.43%16.60%49.76%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
60
Neutral
$1.65B17.365.29%0.93%-5.42%-20.80%
59
Neutral
$44.15B62.527.75%2.15%-1.77%-70.83%
56
Neutral
$9.59B11.9229.65%3.49%2.08%-1.63%
52
Neutral
$990.20M-211.97-0.37%7.22%-108.99%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ACI
Albertsons Companies
18.66
-1.37
-6.82%
IMKTA
Ingles Markets
88.85
24.76
38.63%
KR
Kroger Company
69.76
5.60
8.73%
WMK
Weis Markets
72.76
-0.24
-0.32%
SFM
Sprouts Farmers
73.95
-70.82
-48.92%
GO
Grocery Outlet Holding
10.09
-5.65
-35.90%

Albertsons Companies Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Albertsons Companies Issues New Senior Notes to Refinance Debt
Positive
Feb 2, 2026

On February 2, 2026, Albertsons Companies and certain subsidiaries issued $1.2 billion of new 5.625% senior notes due 2032 and $900 million of additional 5.750% senior notes due 2034 in a private offering to institutional and non-U.S. investors under Rule 144A and Regulation S. The unsecured, guaranteed notes, which carry detailed redemption mechanics and standard high-yield covenants, are intended to refinance in full the company’s $1.35 billion 4.625% notes due 2027 and $750 million 5.875% notes due 2028 and to cover related fees and expenses, effectively extending Albertsons’ debt maturities and reshaping its capital structure while preserving financial flexibility for bondholders through change-of-control protections and covenant-based safeguards.

The most recent analyst rating on (ACI) stock is a Hold with a $17.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Albertsons Companies stock, see the ACI Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Albertsons launches refinancing to extend debt maturities
Positive
Jan 22, 2026

On January 22, 2026, Albertsons Companies and several subsidiaries launched a refinancing push in the bond market, announcing plans to redeem in cash the full $1.35 billion of 4.625% senior notes due 2027 and the $750 million of 5.875% senior notes due 2028, with the redemption expected to occur on February 21, 2026. To fund this move, the company priced an upsized private offering to institutional and offshore investors of $1.2 billion of new senior notes due 2032 at 5.625% and $900 million of additional 5.750% senior notes due 2034, issued at 98.5% of face value and fungible with its existing 2034 notes, with closing expected around February 2, 2026. The transaction extends Albertsons’ debt maturities and consolidates its capital structure by shifting obligations from 2027–2028 to 2032–2034, a step that could ease near-term refinancing risk and provide greater financial flexibility for operations and stakeholders, albeit at somewhat higher long-term coupon costs.

The most recent analyst rating on (ACI) stock is a Buy with a $21.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Albertsons Companies stock, see the ACI Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 02, 2026